Rich man's orange cloth with black stripes, a central white panel with diamond motifs in orange and black, and pellet bells along one edge. [ZM 13/5/2005]

Collection type: Object
Description: Rich man's orange cloth with black stripes, a central white panel with diamond motifs in orange and black, and pellet bells along one edge. [ZM 13/5/2005]
Long description: Rich man's orange cloth with black stripes, a central white panel with diamond motifs in orange and black, and pellet bells along one edge. The cloth comprises three strips of textile sewn together: two striped orange lengths and the central white panel. The orange length with the bells along one edge has eight black stripes, while the other orange strip has seventeen, getting closer together towards the edge. The three lines of orange diamond motifs running along the central panel have been woven in a floating supplementary weft. The small brass pellet bells (approximately ninety) have been threaded through loops in a length of orange yarn that has been stitched along the bottom edge of the cloth. [JMC 11/12/2020] The textile is warp-facing and plain-woven. 13 warps and 10 wefts are counted in 1cm2. All threads are Z-twisted. The fringes on both short ends consist of four warps each, twisted in ssZ. The textile comprise three panels, attached edge-to-edge using simple looping stitches in black. Numerous little bells are attached in running stitches at one long edge. Two broad end panels are woven mostly with orange-dyed threads in warp and weft with black longitudinal (warp) stripes. The narrow middle band is woven mostly in ecru coloured threads with extensive use of supplementary weft of geometric patterns in orange and black threads. See annotated image for detailed measurement. [MT 07/23/2021]
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India
Cultural groups: Phom Naga; Ao Naga
Person: Field collector John Henry Hutton; PRM source John Henry Hutton
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1924
Date collected: By 1924
Acquisition information: Loaned: 11/1924 Donated: 1928
Materials and processes: Material Cotton Seed Fibre Textile Plant, Material Brass Metal, Material Brass Metal, Process Woven, Process Dyed, Process Supplementary Weft Woven, Process Cast
Dimensions: Width: max 1600 mm, Length: max 1095 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1923.85.283
Research and responses: During a visit of Naga elders and tribal leaders in June 2025, members of the delegation identified incorrect tribal affiliations for some objects or ancestors. In consultations with Mr Ngongba Tange Thamlong Phom, Vice President of the Phom Peoples’ Organization, this textile was identified as a Phom Naga.
"Shawl is very much that of Phom people which we call " Nyuoam"
‘Phom Naga’ has been added to the cultural group field. [EW 27/08/2025]
Associated publications: Reference: Naga Textiles Design, Technique, Meaning and Effect of a Local Craft Tradition in Northeast India, Main author: Marion Wettstein; Stuttgart, 2014, Page: 137

Search terms: Textile, Clothing, Status, Body Cloth, Musical Instrument, Rattle, Bell